Archives for December 2014

A fatal accident in Linn County to start the week. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says on Monday morning, a 22 year old man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 36, at Missouri 130. The patrol says Curtis Kendrick of Callao was driving a Buick westbound, when the vehicle went off the left side of ther road and hit a bridge, then overturned, and came to rest on its top, submerged in water. Kendrick was pronounced dead. He had not been wearing a seat belt.

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill says Republicans are approaching her and other moderate democrats about being swing votes in the next Congress, with a goal of avoiding a filibuster. The Springfield News-Leader says McCaskill says Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has already approached her.

Merry Christmas to employees of the state of Missouri. Governor Jay Nixon is giving state workers a one-percent raise that kicks in on January first. The Governor released the money for the raises, which were included in the 2015 fiscal year budget that started July first. They had been with-held as part of budget cuts. The raises are costing the state 5 point 6 million dollars.

The candy-coated apples are tainted with the Listeria bacteria. Three people died after eating them and 29 ended-up in the hospital in 10 states.

The caramel apples came from Happy Apples of Washington, Mo.

Tracing the bacteria takes alot of detective work, right now the company says the Listeria may have been present in apples supplied from a California company. The CDC says, to be safe, don’t eat prepackaged caramel apples while they try to sort it out.

Listeria can be especially rough on older people, pregnant women, newborns and people with weakened immune systems. And nine of the people who got sick were prognant or newborns

Two people from Huntsville, Missouri, suffered moderate injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Randolph County late Monday afternoon. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 31-year-old Mark Gravitt was driving the Pontiac Grand Prix northbound on U.S. 63 at Route NN, when the vehicle went off the right side of the roadway and hit a sign, and the vehicle then went across Route NN, and hit another sign. Gravitt was taken to Moberly Regional Medical Center, along with a passenger, 39 year old Angel Nickerson. They were both wearing seat belts.

Those making minimum wage in Missouri are getting a small pay hike in 2015. Starting New Year’s Day, the state’s minimum wage will increase by 15 cents to $7.65 an hour. The minimum wage for tipped workers in Missouri will rise by 9 cents to $3.83 per hour. A law passed by voters in 2006 provides an annual cost-of-living adjustment to Missouri’s minimum wage. The National Employment Law Project said in a news release that Missouri is joined by 19 states that will also raise their minimum wage on New Year’s Day. New York will do the same on December 31st.

Two people were hurt in a single-vehicle crash a few miles northeast of Queen City. It happened at about 3 a.m. Saturday. 43 year old Charles Wolken of Glenwood, Missouri, was driving a Ford F150 eastbound, when the he lost control of the vehicle and ran off the roadway, hit a ditch, and overturned. Wolken, and a passenger, 26 year old Eugene Chuites of Queen City, were both taken to Scotland County Hospital by private vehicle. They were both wearing seat belts.

Flu update. Adair county has seen alot of flu activity so far this season, 40 cases reported in the county since Octobers. That’s an increase from 11 cases last year.

The health department is encouraging you to get a flu shot, it’s not too late. You can call for an appointment or stop by the health department from 8-4 for the shot.

Even though the shot may not protect against one strain of flu — it is effective against most. And the health department reminds you that it’s important to cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer.

The Missouri Public Service Commission wants to reduce a rate hike proposed by Ameren Missouri.

Ameren wants to raise your bill an average of $10 a month. But the staff on the public service commission says that’s too much. They’re proposing a smaller increase of about $5 a month for the average home.

That would give Ameren $113 million in new revenue, or about 150-million less than the company wants. Ameren has been successful with six other increases in the last seven years. The two sides have until June to work out a compromise.